Page 77 of Pocket Wife

Finally, Salo speaks. “Rebuttal exhibit twelve is admitted as disputed material only. It does not establish consent transfer at this stage.”

Chairs creak. Someone near the wall whispers a prayer. Nara presses her son closer without looking away from the tribunal display.

Not relief.

Permission to keep standing.

Advocate Sen’s smile returns, thinner now. “Then Helix requests examination of resident coordination. If the tribunal is asked to accept mass testimony gathered under Miss Hartwell’s direction, we must determine whether those statements are independent recollection or organized resistance narrative.”

I feel Rethan’s attention sharpen.

Salo turns to me. “Miss Hartwell, you may answer.”

I set my slate on the table before I can grip it hard enough to crack the casing. “Ask.”

Sen steps closer to her display. “Did you coordinate witness statements last night?”

“Yes.”

“Did you instruct witnesses what to say?”

“I instructed them not to lie.”

A few faces near the wall shift.

Sen continues. “You collected statements from people already frightened by Helix enforcement.”

“Yes.”

“You wrote categories on the meeting hall wall.”

“Yes.”

“Helix says. We can prove. They can hurt.” Sen lets each phrase sit. “That sounds less like evidence gathering and more like strategy.”

“It was both.”

“Thank you.”

I raise my chin. “Strategy is not fraud.”

Sen’s eyes narrow.

I continue before the advocate can cut me apart slowly. “We did not tell people what memory to have. We asked what they personally knew, what proof supported it, and what Helix was threatening if they spoke. Eight people withdrew. We recorded that too. If I were staging a perfect story, I would not have included the fear.”

The chamber quiets in a different way now. Not stunned. Listening.

Salo looks toward Jessa. “Submit the withdrawal log.”

Jessa sends it at once.

Names appear, each marked with reason withheld or partial record submitted: medical exposure, freight license, debt pressure, family safety. Not traitors. Not cowards. People with places Helix could press.

Sen’s expression cools. “Convenient transparency.”

I nearly laugh. It would come out wrong. “You threatened them in writing. We organized the evidence you gave us.”

Torren coughs into his fist.